Author: Web Desk

London: Lifestyle habits have been placed at the centre of new research showing that very small changes in daily behaviour can have a powerful impact on life expectancy. A study involving around 135,000 people from the United Kingdom, United States, Norway and Sweden has found that adding just five minutes of moderate physical activity each day and reducing sitting time by 30 minutes could significantly lower the risk of premature death. The research, led by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and published in The Lancet, has challenged earlier assumptions that only major increases in exercise levels bring meaningful benefits.…

Cupertino: Apple has entered into a multi-year collaboration with Google to use Gemini artificial intelligence models to power several of its services, including major upgrades to Siri. Apple and Google have said the partnership is designed to deliver innovative experiences for users while maintaining Apple’s established privacy standards. Apple has confirmed that its generative AI platform, Apple Intelligence, will continue to operate within Apple’s Private Cloud Compute system. This structure allows advanced processing while ensuring user data protection remains a priority. The companies have said that Apple evaluated different technologies before selecting Google’s AI as the most capable foundation for…

Cebu City: Landslide operations have remained under way in Cebu City after a rubbish collapse at the Binaliw landfill claimed at least 11 lives, according to local authorities. The landslide occurred last week while more than 100 workers were present at the site, with rescuers confirming that 12 injured people have been pulled from the debris and more than 20 individuals still remain missing. Rescue teams have continued searching through the waste after officials reported that signs of life were detected during operations. Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said that, despite the difficult conditions, authorities have remained in rescue mode.…

Washington: Tariff enforcement has taken a new direction after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent levy on goods from countries that do business with Iran. The tariff has been described as taking effect immediately, although no further details have been provided about how ‘doing business’ with Iran will be defined or which industries will be most affected. The tariff announcement has come as protests in Iran have entered a third week, fuelled by deepening economic hardship and anger over government leadership. Trump has said that the measure is designed to apply pressure on Iran and on countries that…

Washington: US Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, according to an announcement made by Powell in a video message. Powell said federal prosecutors had served the Federal Reserve with subpoenas and had raised the possibility of a criminal indictment linked to statements made before a Senate committee about renovations to Federal Reserve buildings. Powell described the situation as unprecedented and said the probe appeared to stem from ongoing tensions with President Donald Trump. Powell stated that disagreements over interest rate policy had intensified after repeated refusals to lower rates despite public pressure from…

Kuala Lumpur: Grok has faced its first national bans after Malaysia and Indonesia restricted access to the artificial intelligence chatbot developed for Elon Musk’s social media platform X. Grok, which allows users to generate and edit images, has been criticised for being used to manipulate photographs of real people and place them in sexualised and revealing situations without consent. Authorities in both countries have said the tool poses a serious risk to online safety, human dignity and the protection of children. Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first nations in the world to block Grok. Officials have warned that the…

Jakarta: Grok has faced regulatory action in Indonesia after the government moved to restrict access to the AI chatbot developed by xAI, the startup founded by Elon Musk. Grok has been blocked on the grounds that its image generation features could be misused to create pornographic and exploitative content, including non-consensual deepfakes. Indonesia has become the first country to deny access to the tool over such concerns. The Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs has stated that the production and spread of non-consensual sexual content using artificial intelligence violates human dignity and threatens digital safety. Minister Meutya Hafid said that,…

Jerusalem: US support has shaped Israel’s defence structure for decades, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel should gradually move away from dependence on American military aid. In an interview, Netanyahu said that Israel has reached a stage where domestic defence capabilities have matured enough to support a phased reduction of external assistance. Netanyahu confirmed that the aim is to taper military aid to zero over the next decade, though no fixed deadline has been set. US military assistance has been described by Netanyahu as deeply appreciated and historically important. During discussions with US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu said…

Washington: NASA has confirmed that it will shorten the mission of a four-member team aboard the International Space Station, marking the first early return in the orbiting laboratory’s history. NASA has explained that the move follows the identification of a serious medical condition affecting one astronaut, though the agency has not disclosed further details due to health privacy considerations. At a news conference in Washington, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said that the situation does not amount to an emergency evacuation. A senior NASA official said that, the agency always prioritises astronaut health and has chosen to act conservatively. Earlier in…

Melbourne: Nick Kyrgios has confirmed that singles competition at the Australian Open will not be part of the 2025 schedule, despite being fit enough to return to the court after knee and wrist surgery. Nick Kyrgios has said that the physical demands of best-of-five-set tennis remain too demanding at this stage of recovery, prompting a decision to focus on doubles. The Australian player has explained that discussions with Tennis Australia have influenced the call, with priority placed on long-term fitness rather than a rushed singles comeback. Nick Kyrgios has stated that although match play has resumed, endurance over extended matches…